Residents in Crawley, West Sussex, could see a reduction in emergency department wait times following the success of a “first of its kind” mobile X-ray service. While the four-month pilot project was conducted in North West Surrey, its success offers a potential solution for local healthcare pressures at East Surrey Hospital.
The trial, which concluded on February 16, 2026, was run by the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) in collaboration with Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals. Out of 38 patients seen during the pilot, 66 per cent were able to stay at home after their digital images were checked remotely by medical experts, rather than being transported to a hospital ward.
Advanced Paramedic Practitioners used compact Fuji equipment that fits into a backpack to take the high-quality images. The mobile system saved a total of 34.5 hours of ambulance time, allowing crews to remain available for other life-threatening calls instead of waiting to hand over patients at a hospital.
The success of the model is particularly relevant for the Crawley area as East Surrey Hospital continues to manage heavy demand, having declared a critical incident in January 2026. Following the initial results, SECAmb has expanded the mobile X-ray programme to run five days a week until May 2026, with the potential for a wider rollout across the region.
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